44 Years Ago Today. . .

On a Tuesday, in December 1965 on the 28th I was born. My Dad was stationed on a hardship tour in Korea and wouldn't come home for another five or six months. I still treasure those photos more than anything, now I understand why. I'm the daughter of a Soldier, and damn proud of it. The only thing more important than my love of country is my daughter, but I digress.
On Christmas this year my Dad hugged me and said, I remember 44 years ago I was in Korea and I got a phone call telling me my daughter was born. It caused the hard outer shell I have around me to melt a little. It was the glimmer of love that I cherish from my Dad.
I'm thankful to my folks for being born, and for the way in which I was raised. It's tough growing up an Army brat, but I wouldn't change a thing if I ever had the opportunity. I loved my life with my family.

This 44th year of my life is going to be an exciting one. One full of adventure, life, and love. I'll be moving to Germany in 20 days, and I'm completley stoked about it. I will be over there serving my country as an Army Civilian. I love my job, and the people of whom I work for, it is truly an honor for me to work for the best Military force in the world. They have given me the freedoms I enjoy so much. I thank them every day.

As I head into this new life I think about my life for the last 43 years and smile. I've had a good life with just enough terror, true struggles, anguish, hard work, determination, kindness, and most of all love to make me truly thankful for all I have had in my path. Without the terror I would not have had the love. Without the struggles I would not have learned determination. Withouth the anguish I would not have learned kindness, and without the love I would have not survived to this point.

I am one of those half full kind of people, and I won't change that about me. However, I hope to continue to learn and love life. I embark on this new journey into my new life with a smile on my face, love in my heart, a song on my lips, my daughter by my side, and my camera in hand.

Here are some cool things that have happened on this my day of birth...some before and some after my birth, but we share this one day. So, to the first I say happy birthday to my fellow Capricorn Elizabeth Carr the first American IVF child born in 1981.

Being an Army brat military facts always fascinate me...on this day in 1965 not only was I born but, the Viet Cong offered a four day truce in honor of the Vietnamese lunar new year. (Explains my lunar obsessions I suppose...lol)
44 years ago VP Humphrey's arrived in Tokyo to begin his goodwill tour of Asian countries.
Italian Prime Minister Amintore Fanfani resigned on the day of my birth.
In 1895 the first movie screening took place in Paris at the Grand Cafe.
1957 saw the 2 millionth VW completed today.
Iowa became the 29th state in the union in 1846,
"Cyrano de Bergerac" premiered in Paris in 1897. (One of my all time favorites!)

I share my birthday with the following people:
Elizabeth Carr, the IVF baby 1981
Nichelle Nichols is 77 today. Happy Birthday you Star Trek Goddess! (is my geek showing?)
Stan Lee is a tingly 87 today. My hero! I'll always love Spiderman and The Incredible Hulk. (Spiderman is the ONLY super hero that is a photographer by day, and the actor that played the Hulk was hearing impaired like me.)
Edgar Winter
Denzel Washington
Joe Diffie
Chad McQueen
Woodrow Wilson
Maggie Smith (bows and thanks her for playing such an incredible witch! See, we're not all bad!)

and ME!

Candy of Christmas Past

Have you ever sat and reminisced about Christmas past? Not the Christmas Carol kind of Christmas past, but things you did when you were young? Maybe it’s me, but I think about the traditions, the places we went, and the stuff we ate. All of it makes my heart puff up and go POOF! Ah, the feelings of Christmas past are, well, fluffy.

Growing up an Army brat is different than a normal childhood where you stay home every year, or at least you have a place to call home. I’m not knocking it. Nope, I’d never do that, in fact I LOVED being an Army brat. I wouldn’t have changed anything in the world for the childhood I had. My Dad was in the Army for over 21 years; we physically packed and moved 19 times. I am sure I didn’t love or even treasure every move. However, I know I still love to move. It was an adventure, but to keep us tied to “home” Mom and Dad gave us the “traditions” they had growing up. You know family, friends, travel, and oh the smells of the food.

Candy, candy was one “tradition” that kept all of my family together. Everyone had something they cherished from their childhood and it was passed on to us, the new generation. Well, I too passed that on to my daughter. Some of my candy past was Lifesavers Books from my Papaw, candy canes from my Grandma, Dots and fudge from my Mom, and for me it was Pez and candy cigarettes. Now, for my daughter’s new candy tradition it is Hershey’s Kisses – the big one. I gave her one every year. It would take her about a month to eat it all, but she did it. To this day she gets one, although I can’t always find the really big ones, I can always find the medium sized ones. So, this year she got the medium size, after all she wants to be more conscious of her diet. Whatever – it’s Christmas. Go forth and make candy memories, exercise later.

I can’t wait to see what tradition she’ll pass on to her children. I hope everyone had a festive holiday, and have a wonderful and memorable New Year.

The Hurried Holiday

It came upon a midnight clear.
The movers were already here.
Dressed in blue from hat to their sneaker.
They annoyed and mispacked until I was all a quiver.

They took things they shouldn't and things they should.
Why do I feel so exhausted?
I wish I could sleep like a bump of wood.
There will be no rest for me this holiday season.
Although, there rarely is,
I want to rest and celebrate,
but can't seem to find any reason.

I know we'll be gone soon,
and living in the land we so long desire.
But, alas there is so much to do,
and it is there I hope to retire.

So, dig up some cheer,
and try to be merry,
for it is only a few weeks
left in this land,
with people that I will miss so badly.